City of Brantford accelerates affordable housing initiatives to address urgent community needs

BRANTFORD, ON – Recognizing that it is increasingly difficult for potential home buyers and renters to find affordable options, the City of Brantford and the County of Brant are implementing new strategies to increase and expedite our affordable housing inventory. Consistent with direction provided by the Mayors’ Housing Partnership Task Force ActionPlan, the City has moved swiftly to expedite access to more affordable housing options such as the Compact, Affordable, Sustainable and Efficient (CASE) Home modular build at Stinson and Stirton Ave, the now opened 26 unit modular affordable housing development at 177 Colborne St. West, the Trillium Way housing development now under construction in Paris, and the repurposing of Lucy Marco Place into affordable housing units in the city’s downtown, set to open in September. 

Current Need 

As of June 30, 2024, the total Rent Geared to Income (RGI) waitlist in Brantford and the County of Brant was 1,011 households. Of these, 161 households (16%) have urgent (homeless) priority status. Locally there is a strong need for transitional and supportive housing options to help individuals and households exit emergency shelters and other temporary housing situations into more stable, appropriate accommodations, faster. 79 households (8%) have special priority program status which means they are either a victim of domestic violence or human trafficking. 

Purchase of Fox Ridge Community Care property - 389 West Street

Building on the momentum of recent housing development initiatives, the City is actively identifying and capitalizing on market opportunities to further accelerate the availability of affordable housing. Not unlike the strategy employed by purchasing Lucy Marco Place to make more affordable units available sooner, Council has authorized City staff to proceed with the agreement of purchase and sale for the acquisition of the Fox Ridge Community Care facility at 389 West Street, Brantford.

The acquisition of 389 West Street is an investment in short and long-range planning for temporary and permanent housing options in Brantford. The vision for this property is to develop the existing building and land for various temporary and permanent housing options along the housing continuum, utilizing a phased approach, prioritizing greatest community need to fully realize the potential of the property.

The City’s opportunity to purchase this property is supported by funds the City received from the provincial Build Faster Fund. These funds, awarded to the City as a result of exceeding provincial housing targets in the past year, have enabled the City to accelerate the purchase and conversion of the facility into temporary and permanent housing options. 

This retrofit project provides for economical savings, re-use of current infrastructure, shortened time-lines for project completion and building occupancy which is expected to occur in Fall 2026. 

By acquiring and repurposing existing properties, such as the Fox Ridge Community Care facility, the City is not only making efficient use of current infrastructure but also ensuring that more affordable units are brought to market more quickly. These strategic moves are part of a broader effort to address the housing crisis head-on, providing much-needed relief to those on the waitlist and ensuring that our most vulnerable populations have access to safe housing without unnecessary delays.

Fox Ridge Community Care plans to relocate to166 Lynden Rd as a 6-storey retirement home and 3-storey long term care centre in 2025. 

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Media Contact:

Maria Visocchi | Director, Communications, Community Engagement and Customer Service
City of Brantford | 519-759-4150 ext. 5754 | mvisocchi@brantford.ca

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